Everybody who hasn’t seen I, Claudius, raise your hand. Perhaps it would be easier to ask for those who haven’t seen I, Claudius to raise their hands in disbelief that they have missed one of the best (in my opinion) miniseries EVER. My family ranks this miniseries right up there with Upstairs, Downstairs…  Both shows come to us from Great Britain, but have no similarities in the content area. They do, however, have one thing in common………….. They are both phenomenal. Oh, and another thing they have in common…. if you haven’t seen them, you will probably regret it. (I have to admit that the later seasons of Upstairs, Downstairs weren’t on par with the earlier seasons….)

Of course, Derek Jacobi (before he was Sir Derek Jacobi!) is absolutely phenomenal as Claudius. (I know I am not supposed to use the same adjectives over and over, but, is there another word that describes Jacobi’s Claudius more succinctly? Brilliant, Exceptional, Fantastic, …. well, yes, then I could use those words.)

The 13-part miniseries is based on the novel by Robert Graves and the Roman Empire circa 24 BC to 54 AD is the setting. We see the action through Claudius’s narration of events. He is able to outlive many of the members of his family because they think he is a simpleton. (Did I say "many of the members of his family?  I mean "ALL"!!!!!) His grandmother Livia (played by Sian Philips) makes Snow White’s stepmother look like everybody’s favorite auntie.

Claudius is forced to watch the debauchery and ambition of his family members while acting the part of a fool who isn’t aware of all the happenings and goings-on. By being able to quietly observe, almost undetected, he has become a master of what is needed to survive in the cesspool in which his family resides.

Don’t expect the special effects and all of the bells and whistles that miniseries from later years provide…. BUT….. do expect a great story with great acting!  I have seen the miniseries three times, and plan on watching it again….. and again.

(Oh, and by the way, in case you haven’t already guessed…. this is not a cozy…. nor a mystery.)

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The House of Cards Trilogy is one of the finest BBC productions set in “modern days” that I can think of.  Although the trilogy started in 1990,  it doesn’t seem at all dated to me. There are, of course, concrete things like the use of cassette recorders and the absence of today’s ever-present cell phones that double as cameras, but, for me, those types of props don’t make a story line outdated/obsolete.

This political thriller/drama stars Ian Richardson as Francis Urquhart, the deliciously evil, ambitious Chief Whip of the Conservative Party. Do not worry about becoming lost with regards to the British political system… Francis Urquhart provides a lot of information in his wickedly clever asides to the camera.

The trilogy follows Urquhart as he schemes, ruins, manipulates, back stabs, charms, corrupts, uses, destroys, conspires, flatters, (and any other adjectives that you can think of when you think of the lowest of the lows) his way up the British political ladder. Ian Richardson is absolutely delightful to watch!

I have to admit that of the three series that make up this trilogy, the first one… rightfully named “House of Cards” is by far my favorite. The second series (“To Play the King“) brings in one of my favorite actors (Michael Kitchen), who, as the Prince of Wales seems very familiar to us.  “The Final Cut“ is the third part, and, it is by far my least favorite series of the trilogy.

Others might find the second or third parts of the trilogy the best parts….. “You could think that, but of course, I could never comment.”     

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